Lindsay Heckmann Dr. Fogleman EDC 160 Honors September 13, 2011 Going the Distance
Mediocre is the word that has been associated with all my so called “talents” for a long time. Mom and Dad were not the type to enroll me in any clubs or groups from a young age like many others parents had done for their children. Money was tight and they both worked too much to be the crazed cheering mom or dad running up and down the side lines. Nor were they the type to be the ones in the audience with a video camera glued to the palm of their hands. My sister and I would spend our time with babysitters and family members, and it would be too “complicated” for us to have our own busy schedules along with our parents. We tend to joke that it is for this reason that we are both regrettably lacking in the hand-eye coordination department. The absence of athletic talent was quite discouraging. It was not until high school that I discovered there were things referred to as “individual sports.”
In the past, I would shy away and most times outright run from team sports. Being the girl in the gym class who misses every shot and gets hit with the ball rather than catching it is not what most consider to be an enjoyable, not to mention always being picked last for teams. Soon I heard about X-country, yet I was hesitant about signing up. All the years of hiding from sports had a detrimental effect on my confidence. However my good friend convinced me to at least give it a try. Who can’t run right? I soon learned it was defiantly something worthwhile. I finally found something I didn’t completely embarrass myself doing.
I was by no means the best, I was once again average. However, I finally found something that I wasn’t ashamed of doing and I thoroughly enjoyed. Yes, cross country is a sport with other team members, but my success or failure didn’t affect anyone else’s, which gave me the confidence to push myself and strive for better results in races.
As my freshmen year of cross country progressed, my new friends took it upon themselves to appoint me team clown. I loved being a part of something in which there was sense of community and support. I enjoyed encouraging the other runners and making them laugh. Often, I would come up with my own terms for running lingo. For example, the word chaffing would soon become “chub-rub,” and the term quickly caught on.
A day never to be forgotten was the day I finished my first eight mile run. Not only did I complete the run, but I kept in stride with the teams two captains. The song “The Distance” by CAKE was on repeat, replaying over and over again in my head, willing me to finish strong. The lyrics: “he’s going the distance, he’s going for speed” was like an anthem commanding me not to stop. When finished, I had the most brilliant runners high I had ever experienced. I felt like I could do anything, and it was as though I had just climbed Mt. Everest. I went home that day feeling legitimately proud of myself, something I did not feel often.
Sophomore year came round and I came into my own. I made numerous friends through the team, developed a new found confidence, and was loving life. My grades improved because I had to manage my time carefully and my physical health was the best it has ever been before. The greatest part of my entire experience was that I was no longer just mediocre, I was one of the team’s better runners, and knowing that one detail gave me all I ever wanted but was too afraid or shy to obtain: a talent.
Lindsay Heckmann
Dr. Fogleman
EDC 160 Honors
September 13, 2011
Going the Distance
Mediocre is the word that has been associated with all my so called “talents” for a long time. Mom and Dad were not the type to enroll me in any clubs or groups from a young age like many others parents had done for their children. Money was tight and they both worked too much to be the crazed cheering mom or dad running up and down the side lines. Nor were they the type to be the ones in the audience with a video camera glued to the palm of their hands. My sister and I would spend our time with babysitters and family members, and it would be too “complicated” for us to have our own busy schedules along with our parents. We tend to joke that it is for this reason that we are both regrettably lacking in the hand-eye coordination department. The absence of athletic talent was quite discouraging. It was not until high school that I discovered there were things referred to as “individual sports.”
In the past, I would shy away and most times outright run from team sports. Being the girl in the gym class who misses every shot and gets hit with the ball rather than catching it is not what most consider to be an enjoyable, not to mention always being picked last for teams. Soon I heard about X-country, yet I was hesitant about signing up. All the years of hiding from sports had a detrimental effect on my confidence. However my good friend convinced me to at least give it a try. Who can’t run right? I soon learned it was defiantly something worthwhile. I finally found something I didn’t completely embarrass myself doing.
I was by no means the best, I was once again average. However, I finally found something that I wasn’t ashamed of doing and I thoroughly enjoyed. Yes, cross country is a sport with other team members, but my success or failure didn’t affect anyone else’s, which gave me the confidence to push myself and strive for better results in races.
As my freshmen year of cross country progressed, my new friends took it upon themselves to appoint me team clown. I loved being a part of something in which there was sense of community and support. I enjoyed encouraging the other runners and making them laugh. Often, I would come up with my own terms for running lingo. For example, the word chaffing would soon become “chub-rub,” and the term quickly caught on.
A day never to be forgotten was the day I finished my first eight mile run. Not only did I complete the run, but I kept in stride with the teams two captains. The song “The Distance” by CAKE was on repeat, replaying over and over again in my head, willing me to finish strong. The lyrics: “he’s going the distance, he’s going for speed” was like an anthem commanding me not to stop. When finished, I had the most brilliant runners high I had ever experienced. I felt like I could do anything, and it was as though I had just climbed Mt. Everest. I went home that day feeling legitimately proud of myself, something I did not feel often.
Sophomore year came round and I came into my own. I made numerous friends through the team, developed a new found confidence, and was loving life. My grades improved because I had to manage my time carefully and my physical health was the best it has ever been before. The greatest part of my entire experience was that I was no longer just mediocre, I was one of the team’s better runners, and knowing that one detail gave me all I ever wanted but was too afraid or shy to obtain: a talent.